It seems like today the NFL spends more time in the courtroom fighting over the new collective bargaining agreement than they ever did actually playing football. As a result, when the NFL draft continued as usual this past Thursday, I wanted nothing to do with it.
Why would I?
Why would anyone want anything to do with a league where billionaire owners and millionaire players argue over even more money?
But, as the Philadelphia Eagles first round selection drew closer and closer, I couldn’t deny who I am inside. I finally cracked and turned it on.
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| Eagles first round pick Danny Watkins Photo courtesy of NFLmocks.com |
I was able to turn on the television in time for the Eagles selection of Baylor Offensive Guard Danny Watkins. Watkins is a 26-year-old player from Canada who picked up football while attending Butte College, where he originally aspired to become a professional firefighter before picking up the sport.
Watkins is exactly what the Philadelphia Eagles need right now. Watkins is big and nasty. He should solidify a right guard position that crippled the Philadelphia Eagles offense this season -- and possibly a little more literally -- for Eagles quarterback Michael Vick.
Critics of Danny Watkins would say that at age 26, Watkins is way to old to spend a first round pick on. However, due to Watkins picking up football at a much later age than other draftees, he does not have the same wear and tear on his body that is often experienced by other 26-year-old NFL players. Also his age allows him to be more physically ready to make the transition against a more aggressive and intense style of play that NFL defensive tackles are notoriously known for.
In the second round the Philadelphia Eagles selected Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett with the 54th overall selection. Jarrett is a hard-hitting, aggressive safety who can play up in the box at strong safety, or out in deep thirds at the free safety position. Jarrett brings a physical element to an Eagles secondary that has sorely missed Brian Dawkins since his departure to Denver during 2009’s free agency period.
More important than Jarrett’s physicality, however, is his consistent tackling ability. The Eagles have been a terrible tackling team since legendary Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson passed away before the beginning of the 2009 Eagles Training Camp, leaving Sean McDermott (who was fired earlier this offseason) to control the defense for the last two seasons.
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| Jaiquawn Jarret, Eagles second round pick Photo courtesy of Eaglesgab.com |
There are those who say that Jarrett is not athletic enough to be a starting safety in the NFL, as a result many experts predicted that Jarrett could fall as far as the 5th round in the draft. Jarrett also played in the Mid America Conference (MAC), which is considered a lower level of competition than other more traditional powerhouse conferences like the South Eastern Conference (SEC) or the Big 10.
However, Jarrett has started every game in his Temple career and is considered one of the more polished safetys in the draft because of his experience. Jarrett also shined when Temple played stronger football programs such as Penn State. His 11 total tackles vs PSU impressed many NFL scouts and showed he could dominate against any competition.
Jarrett will be a great addition for new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and Watkins will surely make the job of new Eagles offensive line Howard Mudd much easier. Either way the first two rounds of the NFL draft should prove to be very productive for the Eagles as time moves forward, assuming that the NFL ever plays football again.
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